Control mechanism for refrigerating devices



Jan. 9, 1945.

L.F.CLERC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR-REFRIGERATING DEVICES -Filed Nov. 16f 1942 2 sheetsfsheet 1 JNVENToR.

Bynum/' /erc 18 I www Jan. 9, 1941-5. I L, F, CLRC 2,367,097

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR kREFRI('ERA'J:[NCI DEVICES Filed Nov. 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26 1NVENTOR.

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` ATTY Patnfed Jan. 9, 194s l UNIT-ED. mTsNr OFFICE y CONTROL MECHANISM FOR REFRIGERAT- t I ING DEVICES d vLeonard F. Clerc, Chicago, Ill. Application November 16, 1942, Serial No. 465,659

' a claims. (C1. (5a-91.5)

' This invention relates to refrigerating devices and has particular reference to a control mechanism for effecting varying degrees of temperature in dry ice refrigerators', such as disclosed in my copending application S. N. 465,655, led Novemberl, 1942.

An object of the invention Vis to provide adjustable means to control the ow of CO2 gas and air inside refrigerated shipping containers and acter referred to which can serve as a shelf inra shipping container. l l

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character referred to which is -provided with meansto ,defrost it.

The foregoing yand other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodyv ing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary kdetail in section, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. a f

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view similar I to Fig. 1, with parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modied form terial. The circular panel IIJ, comprising part ofthe layer 1, and the layers 8 and I4, and the felt pad I5 are provided with a plurality of apertures I6 which are alignable by rotating the panel I0 of the layer 1 in one direction, and may be entirely closed by rotating the panel I0 of the layer 1 in the opposite direction. It will be seen 'in Figs. l and 4, that the vapertures I6 are approximately half open to permitl communication between them when the handle II vis centrally positioned between the stops I2 and I3. When so constructed the apertures IG will be closed to prevent communication when the handle II is moved against the stop I3, and will be opened to permit communication when the handle II is moved against the stop I2. Thus'it will be seen that I have provided means for adjusting the degr'ee of communication between these apertures. Thisfis important when my control mechanism l is used in refrigerating devices such as disclosed inv my copending application S. N. 465,655, filed November 16, 1942, wherein "dry ice is used as the refrigerant. In such uses it is desirable to controljthe flow of the CO2 gas resulting from the sublimation of the dry ice so that varying degrees of temperature may be provided in the storage space below the control mechanism.

To obviate certain difficulties inherent inthe use of dry ice as a solid refrigerant and to insure the uniform sublimation of the fdry ice throughout its area, I provide a dry ice platform I1. which is spaced above the insulating pad I5 'and is substantially smaller in area than the of my device in which a defrosting tray is inv II also serves to limit the rotation of the panel Y Ibetween'the stops I2 and I3, which are formed by cutting out the panels 1 and 8 as shown in Fig. 4.v Y'

superimposed on the layer 1 is anotherlayer of 'plastic material I4. On top of the layer I4 is a layer I5, of felt or other suitable insulating maform I'I is notprovided with apertures, but presents a smooth and unbroken surface to the dry ice which rests upon it. I have found that in resting dry ice directly on an apertured panel there is atendency for the "dry ice to sublime faster -over the apertures thereby causing the ldry ice to become pitted. y The CO2 gas resulting from the sublimation of the solid refrigerant flows downwardly around the edges of the platform 'I1k where it strikesr the top of the in-4 sulating pad I5, spreading evenly over the pad 'I5 and thence downwardly throughout the apertures I6, when the mechanism is adjusted to open position.

After the CO2 gas passes through the apertures I6, when the device is in open position, it strikes the depending baffle I8 which is also smallerain area than the layersv 1 ands. The baille I8 isl intended to again distribute the CO2 gas evenly along the inside walls of the refrigerator in which it is being used as is taught in my copending application S. N. 465,655,7fi1ed November 16, 1942. As Shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the panel I0 comprising the central part of the layer 1 is pivoted about the nut and bolt assembly I9 which is adapted to hold the layers 1, 8 and I4 in predetermined relation as shown.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modied form of my device in which I provide an additional series of apertures 2G. This is to provide communication between certain restricted areas of the refrigerating compartment and the storage compartment of certain types of refrigerators, in which I employ the control mechanism.

In this modified form I also provide a defrosting mechanism which consists of a tray 2| having cut away side Walls 22 and several wiping blades or knives 23, the sharp edges of which are adapted to contact the under surface of the.

layers 8 of the device so that the frost which I have found accumulates on this surface may be readily removed. The' frost scraped from the under side of the layer 8 is deposited in the tray 1. A control mechanism for a dry ice refrigerator, comprising a plurality of layers of rigid material, a layer of heat insulating material, alignable apertures in said layers, means to align said apertures, -a dry ice" platform spaced above and supported by said rigid layers, and a baffle depending from said rigid layers.

The knives 23 are held in position be- .l

Which one of said rigid layers has a cutout portion and a rotatable disc in said cutout, apertures in said disc and means to limit the rotation of said disc, to effect alignment and disalignment of the apertures.

3. A control mechanism for a dry ice refrigerator, comprising a plurality of layers of rigid material, a layer of heat insulating material, apertures in said layers, means to align and dis-align said apertures, and means for defrosting the bottom of said device.

4. A control mechanism for a dry ice refrigerator, comprising a plurality of layers of rigid material, a layer of heat insulating material, apertures in said layers, means to align and ing one of the said rigid layers, said defrosting means comprising a movable panel positioned 2. The combination deiined in claim 1, in

adjacent one of said rigid layers, said panel having wiping blades thereon.

5. A control mechanism for a "dry ice refrigerator, comprising a plurality of layers of rigid material, a layer of heat insulating material, apertures in said layers, means to align and disalign said apertures, Yand means for defrosting at least one of the said rigid layers, sai-d defrosting means comprising a removable tray positioned below said rigid layers, said tray having open side Walls, and wiping blades for contacting one of said rigid layers.

6. A removable control mechanism comprising a plurality of layers of rigid, low heat conductive material, onel of said layers having an apertured rotatable section, there being aligned apertures in said other layers, said last-named apertures being alignable with the apertures of-said vrotatable section upon the rotation of said section in one direction, and non-alignable upon the rotation of said section inthe opposite direction, a dry ice platform positioned above said layers and a baille, depending from said layers.

- LEONARD F. CLERC. 

